VDM Doubles Down After Police Challenge Him Over Kidnapping Claims: “I Said What I Said”

VDM Refuses to Back Down After Police Response

The confrontation between VeryDarkMan and the Nigeria Police Force has escalated after the activist responded to the Force's demand that he provide evidence backing his allegations that some police officers assist kidnappers.

Rather than withdraw his comments, VDM has doubled down.

His response came after the police issued a statement on Thursday challenging him to substantiate allegations he made during his appearance at the Nigerian Bar Association's Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The police described the allegations as serious, unsubstantiated and damaging to the institution.

VDM, however, responded in characteristically blunt fashion.

In a message circulating on social media, he said:

“To the Nigerian police, I SAID WHAT I SAID. You will get your evidence when I am charged to court.”

He went further to repeat his controversial assertion that “the police are the unknown gunmen.”

The exchange has now turned what began as a controversial conference appearance into a much bigger public confrontation.

How the Controversy Started

The controversy began during VDM's appearance at the NBA's 2026 Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, August 25.

VDM was invited to participate in a session focused on insecurity and the issue of so-called “unknown gunmen.”

He told the audience that he was not there to teach lawyers about law but to share his experiences from covering violence and insecurity across Nigeria.

“I'm not here to teach you people law; I'm here to share experience.”

He argued that insecurity had become too serious for Nigerians, including members of the legal profession, to treat it as an issue for security agencies alone.

He also pointed to the reported kidnapping of a judge as an example of how insecurity has reached even the country's justice system.

VDM's Most Controversial Claim

The most explosive part of his intervention involved police checkpoints.

VDM questioned why major Nigerian highways can have multiple police checkpoints while kidnappings continue to occur along some of the same routes.

He alleged that some officers at checkpoints identify wealthy travellers and pass information about them to criminals.

According to the allegation, criminals could then use information about a traveller's identity and movements to target them for kidnapping and ransom.

The allegation was not presented in the reports as an established fact, and no independent evidence confirming the claim has been publicly established.

That is precisely why the police have now demanded evidence.

Police Fire Back

The Nigeria Police Force responded on Thursday through its Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu.

The Force rejected VDM's allegation and said the claim that checkpoint officers provide information to kidnappers was “unsubstantiated and unfairly damaging” to the police institution.

The police said officers stationed at checkpoints are deployed to prevent crime, detect criminal activity and protect citizens.

They also argued that police personnel themselves routinely confront the same criminal groups they are accused of assisting.

The Force pointed to officers who have been ambushed, attacked and killed by terrorists, kidnappers and other violent criminals.

Police Invite VDM to Produce Evidence

The most important part of the police statement was not simply the rejection of VDM's allegations.

The Force issued a direct invitation.

It asked VDM to produce the evidence upon which he based his claims.

The police specifically want any evidence showing that officers at checkpoints identify wealthy individuals and then transmit information about them to kidnappers for the purpose of facilitating their abduction.

The Force said any evidence submitted would be treated urgently and thoroughly investigated.

That effectively puts the next move in VDM's hands.

VDM's Response: “I Said What I Said”

VDM's response has now added another layer to the controversy.

Instead of immediately submitting the evidence publicly, he said the police would receive it if the matter progresses to court.

His reported response was:

“To the Nigerian police, I SAID WHAT I SAID. You will get your evidence when I am charged to court.”

He then repeated:

“THE POLICE ARE THE UNKNOWN GUNMEN.”

The statement indicates that VDM is not retracting the allegations.

Instead, he appears prepared to defend them if the police decide to pursue the matter formally.

Why His Response Matters

VDM's response changes the nature of the story.

The police are no longer simply reacting to remarks made at a conference.

There is now an open challenge between the Force and a prominent social-media activist over allegations involving the conduct of police personnel.

The central question has therefore become:

Does VDM have evidence to support what he said?

And if he does, will that evidence be presented to investigators or before a court?

The Police Say Individual Officers Can Be Punished

Interestingly, the police statement did not say that misconduct by individual officers is impossible.

The Force acknowledged that if an individual officer compromises his or her duty, disciplinary and legal action can follow.

The police said officers found to have breached their responsibilities would face internal discipline and, where appropriate, prosecution.

This means there is an important distinction between alleging that individual officers may be corrupt and accusing the entire police institution of facilitating kidnapping.

The Force has rejected the latter while maintaining that individual misconduct can be investigated.

A Police Commissioner Had Already Addressed the Checkpoint Question

There is another interesting element to the story.

During the NBA conference itself, Commissioner of Police Silas Aremu, who spoke in the same session, addressed the issue of checkpoints.

According to Nigeria Info, Aremu acknowledged that checkpoints could potentially be abused by bad elements within the Force but rejected the suggestion that police officers routinely identify wealthy motorists and pass their information to criminals.

He argued instead that criminals may monitor police checkpoints and exploit their locations and activities.

That response is important because it shows that the checkpoint question was already being debated inside the conference, before the police's formal statement the following day.

What VDM Is Really Questioning

Beyond the specific allegation, VDM's broader argument is about the effectiveness of Nigeria's security system.

His question is essentially:

If there are police checkpoints across major roads, why are kidnappers still able to operate around those same routes?

That is a legitimate question for public debate.

But answering it does not necessarily require assuming that police officers are collaborating with kidnappers.

There could be other explanations.

Criminals may operate away from checkpoints.

They may monitor security patterns.

They may receive information from civilians.

They may have informants within communities.

They may exploit gaps between jurisdictions.

Or, in some cases, individual security personnel could potentially be compromised.

Those possibilities require investigation rather than assumption.

Nigeria's Kidnapping Crisis Makes the Debate More Serious

The controversy comes at a time when kidnapping remains one of Nigeria's most serious security challenges.

Recent mass-abduction incidents have renewed concerns about the ability of security agencies to protect vulnerable communities and travellers.

That makes questions about how criminals obtain information particularly important.

If criminals are receiving inside information from security personnel, that would represent a serious breach of public trust.

If they are obtaining information through other networks, authorities need to understand those networks as well.

Either way, intelligence is central to combating kidnapping.

VDM Has Built His Reputation Around Confrontation

The latest exchange also fits the broader pattern of VDM's public activism.

He has repeatedly confronted public officials, celebrities and institutions over allegations of wrongdoing.

His supporters often praise him for asking questions they believe traditional media or politicians are reluctant to ask.

Critics, however, have accused him of making serious allegations without always providing sufficient evidence.

The latest police confrontation therefore places VDM under another major test.

His influence gives his claims a huge audience.

That makes substantiation particularly important.

Evidence Is Now the Centre of the Story

The strongest part of this controversy may ultimately have nothing to do with VDM or the police.

It is the evidence.

If VDM has credible evidence, it should be examined.

If the evidence points to individual police officers, those officers should face investigation and, where appropriate, prosecution.

If the evidence does not support the allegation, that should also be established.

This is how institutions build public confidence.

Not through social-media arguments.

Not through blanket denials.

But through transparent investigation.

Could This End Up in Court?

VDM's response specifically referenced the possibility of court proceedings.

He said the police would get the evidence if he were charged.

However, the police statement currently available does not say that VDM has been charged with a criminal offence.

What the Force has done is invite him to submit evidence supporting his allegations.

That distinction is important.

An invitation to provide evidence is not the same thing as a criminal charge.

Whether the matter develops further will depend on what happens next.

The Bigger Question: Can Nigerians Trust Security Institutions?

This controversy has touched a much deeper issue.

Public trust.

For security agencies to operate effectively, citizens need to believe that officers protecting them are not secretly working with the criminals they are fighting.

At the same time, police officers need public support and protection to perform their duties.

Blanket accusations can damage morale.

But ignoring credible allegations can damage public confidence even more.

The solution is accountability.

What Should Happen Next?

There are several reasonable steps.

First, VDM should preserve and submit any credible evidence supporting his allegations through an appropriate channel.

Second, the police should investigate the material independently.

Third, if officers are implicated, they should face due process.

Fourth, if the allegations cannot be substantiated, the findings should be made clear to the public.

Finally, the broader issue of how kidnappers identify and track victims should receive serious attention regardless of the outcome of the VDM controversy.

VDM Has Now Drawn a Line

By saying “I said what I said,” VDM has made it clear that he is standing by his remarks.

He is not apologising.

He is not withdrawing the allegation.

And he appears willing to defend his position if the matter reaches court.

The police, meanwhile, have made their position equally clear:

Provide the evidence.

That leaves Nigerians waiting to see what happens next.

Will VDM provide evidence directly to the police?

Will the Force invite him for questioning?

Will lawyers become involved?

Will the matter escalate into a formal legal dispute?

Or will the controversy remain a public battle played out across social media?

At the moment, those questions remain unanswered.

Final Word

VeryDarkMan's confrontation with the Nigeria Police Force has become bigger than a single statement made at the NBA conference.

It is now a test of evidence, accountability and institutional trust.

VDM has accused some police officers of helping kidnappers identify potential victims.

The police have rejected the allegation and demanded evidence.

VDM has responded by doubling down and saying he stands by his words.

Neither side should be judged by social-media popularity.

The facts should determine the outcome.

If evidence exists, it should be investigated.

If wrongdoing is established, those responsible should face the law.

And if the allegation cannot be substantiated, Nigerians deserve to know that too.

For now, the standoff continues.

The police have asked: “Where is the evidence?”

VDM's answer is: “I said what I said.”

The next chapter could determine whether this remains another viral controversy — or becomes a serious investigation into Nigeria's fight against kidnapping.

Key Facts

Person: Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM)

Event: Nigerian Bar Association 2026 Annual General Conference

Location: Port Harcourt, Rivers State

Date of VDM's appearance: August 25, 2026

Main allegation: VDM alleged that some police officers at checkpoints identify wealthy travellers and pass information to kidnappers

Police response: The Nigeria Police Force rejected the allegation and demanded evidence

Police spokesperson: CSP Ani Iniedu

Police position: Checkpoint officers are deployed to prevent crime, detect criminal activity and protect citizens

Police offer: The Force says credible evidence submitted by VDM will be investigated

VDM's response: He has doubled down and said he stands by his remarks

VDM's reported position: He says the evidence will be presented if he is charged in court

Important clarification: VDM's allegations have not been established as facts by a court or official investigation

Current status: Developing

Sources

• TVC News — Police challenge VDM to provide evidence

• Punch — Police invite VDM over checkpoint kidnapping claims

• Channels Television — Police demand evidence from VDM

• Nigeria Info — Police response to VDM's checkpoint claims at the NBA conference

• Vanguard — Police challenge VDM over alleged assistance to kidnappers

• VDM's response circulating on social media